Plants are the main source of drug
discovery and are used in traditional medicine in treating and curing of
different ailments. The treatment of prostate cancer with herbal or natural
drug is now gaining ground for numerous benefits that could be attributed to
their uses.
Prostate cancer has become a major
public health problem worldwide although the cause remains largely unknown. It
may cause pain, difficulty in urinating, problems during sexual intercourse, or
erectile dysfunction. Other symptoms can potentially develop during later
stages of the disease.
Dietary factors, dietary supplement
and physical activity are taken now as important in the prevention of this form
of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive
system. Now surgical treatment, which is the most commonly used mode of
treatment, is found to be associated with loss of libido while herbal medicine
has been found to increase libido while at the same time effecting cure.
Mushrooms are a form of natural
therapy which is reported to be most efficient in curing diseases. There are
many different types of mushroom. Mushrooms are part of the fungus family. In
some countries, such as Japan, China and Korea, particular types of mushroom
form a large part of the diet.
In recent years, there has been
research into different types of mushroom and mushroom extracts or compounds.
Studies have looked at whether mushrooms can prevent cancer, stop the growth of
cancer cells, reduce cancer treatment side effects, or help people with
advanced cancer to live longer.
In Nigeria, there has been some
research looking at extracts of three mushroom species in the treatment of
prostate cancer. It found particular mushrooms that caused a reduction in
prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values of the treated animals, indicating its
benefit both for human consumption as well for commercial industry in treatment
of prostate cancer in human.
The presence of prostate cancer may
be indicated by symptoms, physical examination, prostate-specific antigen
(PSA), or biopsy. Prostate-specific antigen testing increases cancer detection.
A rise in PSA levels in men already treated for prostate cancer can be an
indication of disease recurrence. So when those levels rise – and continue to
rise – men know that further treatment is likely necessary. Men need a way to
keep those PSA levels down or, more to the point, help prevent cancer’s
recurrence.
The Nigerian mushrooms studied for
their anti-prostate cancer activity are Ganoderma lucidum, Pleurotus
pulmonarius (oyster mushroom) and Pleurotus porrigens.
Involved in the study published in the
2014 edition of the International Journal of Herbal Medicine were Adekunle,
A.A; Ogbonnia, S.O and Oyebanji, E.O, all from the University of Lagos in
conjunction with Mbaka, G.O from the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye,
Ogun State.
Scientific assessment of three
Nigerian mushrooms also found their extracts increase haemoglobin level in the
animals induced with prostate cancer, thus supporting mushroom’s local use as
an anti-prostate agent.
There was a clear indication that
the extract preparation could be safe for use given that the study also
revealed that the drug doses investigated did not provoke toxic effect on the
animals.
The scientists reported that the
presence of medicinally important constituents in these mushrooms, suggesting
that their extracts could be seen as good source of drugs, most especially
Ganoderma lucidum.
Previously, in new study in the
journal, Cancer, and led by City of Hope researchers, had found that a powder
made of white button mushrooms appear able to reduce the levels of prostate
specific antigen, or PSA, in prostate cancer patients whose PSA levels had been
rising. And, even better, the powder caused no ill effects.
They treated 36 prostate cancer
patients with the powder, assessing their PSA levels’ responsiveness to
different doses of the powder and whether the men experienced any ill effects.
After months of daily use of the powder, 36 per cent of patients experienced
some reduction in PSA, with two patients experiencing a remarkable complete
response, meaning their PSA levels dropped to undetectable levels. Of note,
that complete response continued for 49 and 30 months.
Maitake mushrooms are believed to
have similar qualities. In a human trial, conducted by Memorial
Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in 2009, maitake was shown to stimulate the
immune systems of breast cancer patients.
Researchers at the New York Medical
College, found that it contains chemical substances that in combination with
vitamin C, effectively reduced growth of bladder cancer cells by 90 per cent in
72 hours effectively killed them.
For centuries, Ayurveda has
recommended the use of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) as a functional food
to prevent and treat human health related issues like prostate cancer.
A 2011 study in the journal, Cancer Prevention
Research demonstrated in animal that prostate cancer cells treated with bitter
melon extract (BME) delayed the progression of the cancer becoming a severe one
by 31 per cent. It interferes with the proliferation of the cancer cells.
Ginger is an excellent source of
several medicinal substances bioactive, indicating its promising role as a
cancer preventive agent. Whole ginger extract significantly slowed down the
growth of cancer cells, and invariably cause their death.
In addition, soyfoods such as
soymilk and tofu, can play an important protective role against prostate
cancer. A major study of diet and prostate cancer among men in 42 countries
found that soyfoods were the single most significant dietary influence reducing
the number of deaths from prostate cancer.
Consumption of soyfoods is
associated with lower rates of numerous hormone-related diseases, including
prostate and breast cancer. Among Japanese men, the lower incidence of prostate
disease and lower rate of death from prostate cancer are thought to be related
to their lifelong intake of isoflavones, and in American Adventist men, a high
intake of soymilk is associated with a 70 per cent reduction in prostate cancer
risk.
Scientific assessment of three
Nigerian mushrooms also found their extracts increase haemoglobin level in the
animals induced with prostate cancer, thus supporting mushroom’s local use as
an anti-prostate agent.
Source: tribuneng
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